Earlier this week, senior doctors at the hospital made public a letter that said not enough was being done to combat the rampant outbreak of the superbug, adding that it had led to 84 deaths over the past 2½ years.

Fraser Health said the number of deaths that may have had a C. difficile infection as a contributing factor was closer to 30 over the past two years. Both Webb and Murray said the rate of infection has dropped 40 per cent over that time period.

The other recommendations include stepped-up hand hygiene for workers and improved cleaning protocols.

“All health-care providers have a role to play in preventing infection,” said Murray. “My expectation is that all health-care professionals will commit fully to hand hygiene practices and the properties of hand antibiotics.”

Fraser Health Region audits of acute-care facilities in 2010-11 revealed hand-cleaning compliance among hospital staff to be 38 per cent, from 26 per cent in 2009-10